SYDNEY: Australia has unveiled tough new legislation that could see social media giants fined up to US$78 million if they fail to protect children from harmful online content, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Tuesday.
The proposed laws would impose a “duty of care” on companies behind platforms including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, making them responsible for taking steps to protect users under 18.
“We would no longer let Australian kids be treated as commodities instead of children,” Albanese told reporters.
Australia Tightens Grip on Big Tech
Under the legislation, platforms would be required to protect young users from pornography, online bullying, material glorifying crime and content encouraging eating disorders.
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Companies found violating their duty of care could face fines of up to A$109 million (US$78 million).
Communications Minister Anika Wells said big tech was facing a “reckoning” over the impact of its platforms.
“Their platforms and tools have infiltrated our daily lives in ways that we could never have imagined,” she said, adding that some consequences had been “terrible”.
The measures build on Australia’s social media restrictions for children under 16, which came into effect last year. Recent data, however, indicated that under-16s were increasing their use of apps including Instagram and TikTok despite the ban.
Users Could Turn Off Algorithms
The proposed legislation would also require social media companies to allow Australians to opt out of recommendation algorithms that determine what appears in their feeds.
“This will give Australians greater choice over their platforms and what they see,” Albanese said.
Companies such as Meta would therefore have to provide users with an option to disable algorithms that personalise recommendations based on their interests and behaviour.
The government plans to introduce the legislation to parliament later this year following consultations with technology companies, industry organisations and civil society groups.
